Shoe



'Dec. I3, 1927.

F. GRUBS 1,652,354

SHOE

Filed March 29, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Ba a/c fir M ATTORNEYDec. 13, 1927. 1,652,354

F. GRUBS SHOE Filed March 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Fzgzn (rabw a;ATTORNEY F. GRUBS SHOE Filed March 9, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 PatentedDec. 13, 1927.

UNITED STATES FRANK GRUBS, OF LARCHMIONT, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALFT BEN E. WEBER,

PATENT OFFICE.

01? SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.

SHOE.

Application filed March 29, 1927. Serial No. 179,241.

The present invention relates broadly to foot wear and more especiallyto a strap structure particularly adapted for the 81mper type of shoe. 7

6 Heret ofore inthe art, straps have comprised bands extending over theinstep and were usually fixedly attached to one side wall of the shoeandwere buttoned over a fixed button secured to the other side wall ofthe shoe. "Usually, when such shoes are purchased, the wearer had thebutton set in a;fixed predetermined position such as would becomfortablefor that particular fitting. As the shoe is worn, the straptended to 16 stretch and become too loose or the wearers feet inightbeswollen from time to time, and causethestra'p to be too tight, therebycut ting the instep of the wearer. It is not uncommon for we'arer7s ofthis type of shoes to -be forced to unfasten the straps, particularlywhere they are sitting quiet for a considerable length of time as in atheatre or a public gathering. Then, thewearer in such cases found itdiflicult or painful to rebutton the strap when it is again necessary togo on to the street.

The present invention overcomes the difiiculties of the known art byproviding a construction wherein the fastener for the strap,

20 which may comprise a button or other fastening means, is easilyadjustable for small or large adjustments and when so ad usted does notin any way change the neatness of the appearance of the shoe. Thisconstruc- 05 tion enables the wearer to quickly and easily make suchadjustments, to tighten or loosen the strap, as comfort may demand.

The preferred construction is such that the pull on the instep strapwill tend to to maintain the mouth of the shoe in the proper engagementwith the foot, thereby obviatingunsightly gapping of the -shoe and alsopreventing uncomfortable looseness around the top of the shoe.

While I have disclosed the preferred forms of my invention in accordancewith the patent laws, I realize that the invention may be embodied inconstructions other than those, specifically shown and therefore it is Wdesired that the specific constructions described in the specificationand shown in the drawings shall be considered as illustrative and not inthe limiting sense.

Throughout the several figures of the drawings, like parts are indicatedby like characters.

Fig. 1 is a view illustrating a shoe embodymg one preferred form of thepresent invention.

' Fig. 2 is a detail view illustrating an action of the strap tending toclose up the mouth of the shoe.

Fig. 3 is a sectional, view through the shoe and illustrating apreferred form of fastenlng. V

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view of the back of the end of a strapshowing the pre ferred fastener.

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the front of the end of a strap showing itthrough an anchormgmeans on the shoe and showing the preferred form offastener.

Fig. 6 illustrates the invention applied to means which tend to contractthe mouth of the shoe on each side.

Fig. 7 is a detail view of a different form of anchor for the strap.

Referring now to the drawings, and more especially to Figs. 1 to 5thereof, the preferred form of the invention therein disclosed,comprises a shoe 1 of the slipper type, provided with a reinforcin band2 around the mouth of the shoe. This band, as illustrated in Fig. 1,runs entirely around the mouth of the shoe and is fastened at each endaround a ring 4, of metal or other suitable material. This band 2preferably is of leather or other material capable of standing asubstantial pull without breaking or undue stretching. A limit movementpiece 5 may be provided and is preferably secured between the bottom ofthe side wall 7 of the shoe and the sole 8 thereof and is looped aroundthe lower portion of the ring 4 to limit the upward movement of thering. The ring 4 is preferably unattached to the shoe side wall, withthe exception of the reinforcing band 2 and the piece 5, both of whichare preferably secured to the side wall of the shoe by suitable stitchesor other securing means. A strap 9 may be secured at oneend between thebottom of the side wall 7 and the sole 8 and be attached to the sidewall 7 by means of suitable stitches or other attaching means, and is ofsufficient length to extend upwardly and over the foot of end of thestrap 9 preferably is provided with a buttonhole adapted to permittheend of the strap to be buttoned over the adjustable button 10. Bythis construction, it will be observed that the wearermay at'tlie'timeof purchase 'se'lect such an ornamental buckle-button as is desired, ormay purchase a plurality of ornamental buckle-buttons, which may bechanged to suit the fancy of the wearer. The buckle is then adjusted sothat the strap, when buttoned, is of the desired tightness over theinstep .and if during the period of wear, the strap becomes too loose ortoo'tig ht; the wearer mayquick- 1y make the proper adjustment andthereby secure comfort as well asa snug fit for the shoe. l A

Referring now more specially to Fig. 2, it will be observed that as thestrap 9 pulls upwardlyupon the rin 4, the ring will move from dottedlineosition to full line position, and in so doing pulls the ends of thereinforcingband 2 closer'together, thereby tightening'the reinforcingband around the foot of the wearer and drawing the mouth of the shoeinwardly to produce a neat fit ofthe shoeon the foot of the wearer.Where the piece 5 is used it may be attached to the shoe so as to be ofsuch length as to prevent this movement and completely prevent thisaction or if desired, to permit a limited ac tion which will secure thepreferred results. Fig. 6 illustrates the invention as applied to a shoewith rings 4 upon each side thereof.

In this case, both rings tend to pull inwardly and consequently increasethe action upon the reinforcing band to tighten the same around the footof the wearer, which band in this case is formed of two pieces insteadof one piece, as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 illustrates a triangular form of ring which may be utilized tofurther increase the tightening action where this action is desirable.

The primary object of the present invention, however, deals with thematter of permitting the wearer to quickly adjust the effective le h ofthe strap so as to secure comfort at al times.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

l. A shoe of the slipper type comprising a shoe body, a foot strapsecured to one side of said shoe body, a fastening member adjustablelengthwise upon said strap to any desired position thereon, andanchoring means attached to the other side of said shoe and cooperativewith said fastener to permit the effective length of said strap to beadjusted. 1 v

2. In a shoe of the slipper type, the combination of a shoe body, a footstrap anchored to one side of said shoebody, :an adjustablebuckle-button slidably mounted upon said strap, the end of said strapbeing provided with a button-hole adapted to cooperate with the buttonon the buckle-button, and anchoring means being provided upon theopposite side of said shoe body and constructed to permit the end ofsaid strap to be threaded through said anchoring means and folded uponitself and'buttoned over said button, the construction and arrangementbeing such as to .permit the effective length of said strap to beadjusted to suit the wearer.

v 3. In a shoe of the slipper type, the combination of a. shoe body,constricting means arranged on said 'shoe'body adjacent the 5 mouththereof, 'said constricting "means he ing operative'to decrease thelength of the marginal edge of the mouth of the shoe, a foot strap, andmeans adapted 'to cooperate with said foot strap and said constrictingmeans to apply tension to said constricting means and thereby decreasethe length of the marginal edge of the mouth of the shoe as tension isapplied to said foot strap when said foot strap is secured over the footof the wearer.

4-. In a shoe of the slipper type, 'thecombination of a shoe body,constricting means secured to the'shoe body adjacent the mouth thereof,a foot strap, anchoring means secured to said constricting means'andcooperative with said foot strap in'suc'h manner that said anchoringmeans has a slidable movement relative to said constricting meanstending to produce tension on said constricting means when said strapulls upwardly upon said anchoring means.

5. In a shoe of the slipper type, the combination of a shoe body,constricting means secured to said shoe body adjacent-the mouth thereof,an anchoring ring secured to the ends of said constricting means, a footstrap adapted to cooperate with said anchoring ring and to tend to causesaid anchoring ring to slide upwardly through the ends oftheconstricting means to place said'constricting means under tension whenthe foot strap is in position over the foot of'the wearer.

6. In a shoe of the slipper type, the combination of a shoe body, a footstrap secured to one side of said shoe, anchoring means secured to theother side of said shoe and being of such configuration as to permit theend of said foot strap to be threaded through said anchoring means, andadjustable fastening means mounted for longitudinal movement upon saidstrap and cooperating with the end thereof when the strap is threadedthrough said anchoring said anchoring ring, and adjustable fasten- 10means and folded upon itself to fasten said ing means comprising abutton mounted for strap in position over the foot of the wearer.longitudinal movement upon said strap and 7. In a shoe of the slippertype, the comcooperating with a button-hole in th d bination of a shoebody, a foot strap sethereof when the strap is threaded through cured toone side of said shoe, an anchoring said ring and folded upon itself tobutton 15 ring secured to the other side of said shoe said strap inposition over the foot of the and being of such size as to permit theend wearer.

of said foot strap to be threaded through FRANK GRUBS.

